Merit Wise Written Test Score SDEM - With Category (24-Nov-2016)
Merit Award in Public Works Category for Thomas C. Wales Park ...
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WASLA 603 Stewart St. Suite 610 Seattle WA 98101 MERIT AWARD FOR PUBLIC WORKS Thomas C. Wales Park Seattle, Washington Landscape Architect: Site Workshop Client: Seattle Parks & Recreation Engineer: WR Consulting; John Rundall Other consultants: Adam Kuby, artist PROJECT DESCRIPTION T homas C. Wales Park transforms 1.3 acres of leftover space into a dynamic urban park. With its integrated art and habitat restoration, the design recalls the latent history of the site. At the same time, the park gestures to its future as a wildlife sanctuary in the middle of the city. And at each step, the project was informed by a multifaceted ap- proach to sustainability. Located on the eastern edge of the Queen Anne neighbor- hood, the park’s steep slopes and central wetland manifest its history as a gravel quarry in the early 20 th century. The site was later used as a municipal materials depot until 1987. The site was replanted with a diverse range of native plants, providing year-round food and shelter for various bird species, as well as to offer seasonal interest with changing colors and texture. What was a degraded, seasonal wetland has become a central feature of the new park, remaining wet throughout the year with improvements to local hydrology. Development of the park emerged from a collaboration between the landscape architectural team and artist Adam CREDIT: ERIK STUHAUG Kuby. The extensive use of cobble-filled gabions offered cost- effective site solutions, while also evoking the historical gravel quarry. These materials inspired the Quarry Rings Installation, a series of five gabion rings that appear to hover throughout the landscape, echoing the arcs of the retaining walls and paths. Each of the gabion rings features embedded nesting cavities for birds and bats. JURY COMMENTS The park design generated much discussion among the jurors. Some felt the artwork was too dominant, while others supported its integration in the context of an eco-restorative landscape. Ultimately, however, the jury felt unified in applauding the transformation of the formerly degraded site into a distinctive community and wildlife refuge. Through the use of stone-filled gabions, the design effectively recalls the site’s former function as a gravel quarry, while simultaneously adding habitat value through embedded nesting cavities for birds and bats: a beautiful merging of ecology and art. CREDIT: SITE WORKSHOP CREDIT: ERIK STUHAUG
Transcript of Merit Award in Public Works Category for Thomas C. Wales Park ...
WASLA 603 Stewart St. Suite 610 Seattle WA 98101
MERIT AWARD FO R Pub lIc WO R k s
Thomas c. Wales Park seattle, Washington
Landscape Architect: Site Workshop
Client: Seattle Parks & Recreation
Engineer: WR Consulting; John Rundall
Other consultants: Adam Kuby, artist
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Thomas C. Wales Park transforms 1.3 acres of leftover space into a dynamic urban park. With its integrated art and habitat restoration, the design recalls the latent
history of the site. At the same time, the park gestures to its future as a wildlife sanctuary in the middle of the city. And at each step, the project was informed by a multifaceted approach to sustainability.
Located on the eastern edge of the Queen Anne neighborhood, the park’s steep slopes and central wetland manifest its history as a gravel quarry in the early 20th century. The site was later used as a municipal materials depot until 1987. The site was replanted with a diverse range of native plants, providing yearround food and shelter for various bird species, as well as to offer seasonal interest with changing colors and texture. What was a degraded, seasonal wetland has become a central feature of the new park, remaining wet throughout the year with improvements to local hydrology.
Development of the park emerged from a collaboration between the landscape architectural team and artist Adam
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Kuby. The extensive use of cobblefilled gabions offered costeffective site solutions, while also evoking the historical gravel quarry. These materials inspired the Quarry Rings Installation, a series of five gabion rings that appear to hover throughout the landscape, echoing the arcs of the retaining walls and paths. Each of the gabion rings features embedded nesting cavities for birds and bats.
JURY COMMENTS
The park design generated much discussion among the jurors. Some felt the artwork was too dominant, while others supported its integration in the context of an ecorestorative landscape. Ultimately, however, the jury felt unified in applauding the transformation of the formerly degraded site into a distinctive community and wildlife refuge. Through the use of stonefilled gabions, the design effectively recalls the site’s former function as a gravel quarry, while simultaneously adding habitat value through embedded nesting cavities for birds and bats: a beautiful merging of ecology and art.
Credit: Site WorKShopCredit: eriK Stuhaug
